The present invention relates to apparatus for mooring small boats; and more particularly, it relates to an economical, easy-to-use device which is adapted to moor a small boat at a fixed spacing from a dock so that the boat does not get scratched or otherwise damaged while it is moored.
Devices are known for mooring boats to docks, the most popular mooring device being a fender which is interposed between the boat and the dock. The use of fenders is not always reliable in that the fenders can become displaced so that the side of the boat scrapes against the dock, and they also require that the boat be tied securely and reliably to the dock with a line. Inexperienced boaters many times have difficulty in properly securing boats to docks, particularly in rough weather or for very brief intervals, where less attention is paid to the mooring procedure.
There are also devices for securing boats, including small boats, to docks wherein the boat is spaced from the dock by means of a link which may either be rigid or telescoping, but in most such cases, special fittings are required both for the boat and the dock in order to attach the links. These devices are easier to use but many small boaters, particularly those used by fishermen, are moored at rented slips or at marina facilities only for a short time so that no special attachments are available for receiving these fixed-space mooring devices.